Swollen eye, allergies, blurred vision

[medquestion007]

I suffer from terrible allergies, and had a particularly bad case of hay fever. I made the mistake of rubbing my watery eye with my tshirt, which put pollen into my eye. This was Friday at 9 am. My eyeball swelled and would bulge through my eyelids unless I closed it. I flushed it with water and eye solution, but it was already very inflamed. I got a steroid shot at 6 pm yesterday, and by this morning the swelling was gone and the coloration normal.

However, I have blurred vision in the eye. I am taking 50 mg of benadryll every 4 hours, using antihistamine eyedrops, and taking zyrtec-d in the morning and evening
The PA at the clinic told me everything should go back to normal soon. I am doing field work in remote regions and dont have regular access to a doctor. I dont suspect it to be a macular problem, bc I dont have colors washing out or a great out, im just seeing double out of that eye.

Should I be overall concerned? Will my vision return to normal? Is there anything else I should be doing? I don't have insurance, so I have to be positive a er/hospital trip is really needed. Is blurred vision after a swollen eye common?

Thanks

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I cannot determine how urgent the problem is. Generally if a lot of pain or severe reduction of vision it is urgent.

JCH MD

[medquestion007]

Thank you for your response. I dont think I could get in until Monday morning. If I delay seeing someone until Monday, am I possibly setting myself up for more damage, or is this a case of what's done is done, and see an ophthalmologist to just fix it?

I suspect I may have scratched my eye after getting pollen in it, as you said. Does that make this an urgent issue?

Also, may I ask why it is bad to wear an eyepatch? Will that retard healing?
Thanks again.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Generally speaking wearing an eyepad is NOT a good thing. We almost never use them any more. If its possible to see an ophthalmologist you should do so. However external allergy like you descirbe should not damage the inside of the eye. Tearing, swelling and itching of the eye and perhaps some corneal rough spots could blur the vision.

You man need stronger allergy eye drops.

JCH MD

[medquestion007]

I should have added, I had my affected eye shut all day, for a period of 24 hours. Is that enough to cause blurred vision? Due to light sensitivity, I am wearing an eyepatch.